It had to be you
by Minne-My
Summary: Cam plays matchmaker
1. Chapter 1

**3PM**

Bernie had definitely perked up. She'd been a shadow of her former self, hesitant, miserable, stumbling. The divorce had taken it out of her and she was at an all-time low, despite having initiated it. Her mood was an ongoing resigned sigh of existence, the only fire reserved for work. But he'd seen a spark emerging from her shell, finally a smile, a relaxing of the shoulders. She wasn't locked up in her flat anymore, drinking alone. These days she drank in Albie's with everyone else. Especially with Serena. Ms Campbell was a force to be reckoned with and by the looks of it, Bernie was smitten. It had taken him far too long to realise it because it simply hadn't occurred to him before.

But the remnants of the conversation he'd overheard stayed with him and he was able to finally put his finger on what had been off in his parents' marriage, something that had been kept from them all this time. It worked. She was happy to see him, to start again. He was starting to see sides of her he'd never seen as a child. But most telling was when her eyes lit up when she saw Serena, this glow he'd never seen on her before. The 'inappropriate relationship' mentioned on the phone now made sense. Marcus had known about what had happened with that army colleague. Cam had heard the name but never linked it to anything relevant.

Now he could decipher the vibe between Bernie and Serena much better. He could see how Serena appreciated Bernie's presence; the smile when Bernie brought her coffee and pastries at the start of a morning shift, the touch of the arm as she walked past, the bordering on intimate way they sometimes held each other's gaze when silent. Both more upset about criticism they gave to each other, more sensitive to what the other might say. They picked up on each other's moods and telepathic understanding of what needed to be done in theatre. He was certain there was something there. But first he needed to know the truth.

'Tell me something' he said as they drank their coffee in her office.

'Did the divorce have anything to do with Alex Dawson?'

She flinched. Looked at him with panicked eyes, said nothing.

'I heard dad talking about her on the phone.'

Still she said nothing. Her hands trembled. He reached out and clasped them, willing her to stay steady.

'I won't judge you if you tell me the truth.'

'What do you expect me to say?' She asked in a whisper.

'I think you're gay.'

He spoke quietly and gently but she leapt up as if she'd been stung, horrified by his words.

'Not now Cam' she hissed.

'I need to know.'

'Not here.'

'I can't be angry with you now. The divorce is in the past. I'm just trying to understand what's going on with the two of you.'

'What are you talking about?'

He nodded towards Serena's desk. She panicked. He knew.

'She's a colleague.'

'Mum.'

'She's a friend.'

'Mum, please. I saw you checking her out the other day.'

Bernie blushed hotly. She'd been caught out by her own son.

'Don't pretend its nothing. I'm sure I know what I'm seeing. You should tell her.'

'Are you trying to humiliate me?' Her voice shook, her heart thudded against her chest, thought she was going to be sick.

'I want you to be happy but you're hiding away from me. From her.'

Bernie wanted the ground to swallow her up.

'The way you are with each other, it makes sense.'

'Does it?'

'You've never looked at dad the way you look at her. Just admit it. I can handle it. Charlie can too.'

'You think she'll forgive me after everything I've done?' She said bitterly. Her daughter would never forgive her.

'Just be honest with me.'

She stared at him, fury mounting. How could he understand the sheer panic, the tentacles of shame and guilt surrounding her and tightening her tongue, crushing her ribs? She took short sharp breaths to control it.

'You think it's that easy do you?'

'I didn't mean that.'

'You have no idea what it's like to hide in a net that traps you in a hold so tight you can't breathe, that stops you from speaking. That suffocates you every time you think about it.'

She took a shuddering breath and tried to control the tears that threatened to fall. She hated crying in front of people. She turned away and saw the one person she didn't want to see at the door to their office. She must have heard everything, her friend and co-lead, standing there concernedly.

Serena hesitated.

'Sorry to interrupt.'

Bernie's anguished expression jolted Serena's heart but she couldn't get involved. Especially where Alex was concerned. She turned to go.


	2. Chapter 2

**6PM**

Bernie had left for the roof. Cam was left when Serena came back. Sitting in her chair and mulling it over. He had decided to tell her everything. Bernie could be furious at him but he couldn't stand to see her happiness just out of reach because she wasn't brave enough to go for it. His mother was a risk taker in her work life; stubborn but not hard headed, firm but not harsh. She'd never shown her terror before, but this was intensely personal. She was frightened and hesitant about this, she didn't want to mess it up. She'd rather not risk it, a move so unlike her.

He looked up to see Serena hovering, uncertain to the situation.

'This thing with Alex. As long as it doesn't affect work, it's not anyone's business.'

He willed her to understand.

'She's out of the picture. I wasn't talking about her. I was talking about you.'

Serena frowned.

'What do you mean?'

'The argument was about you.'

She spooled her mind back to the previous hours. Something about Bernie looking at her in a different way, like she never had with Marcus. She'd just assumed it had been about Alex, the woman who had come between them in their marriage.

'She brings you breakfast. You go out to dinner together. She stays over at your place. The way you reserve drinks for each other. The way you buy little presents for each other. It all adds up.'

He could see her mind whirring and analysing this behaviour. They did all of these things and more. Like a couple.

He waited patiently for the moment where she realised that all of it meant something.

'She's frightened to approach you. She's more frightened than she's ever been in her life. But she likes you. She more than likes you. And I think that if she asked you if you wanted more than that, you wouldn't say no.'

She stared at him, not objecting to his assessment. Wondering how he knew her so well. The pull she had towards Bernie, the desire to be around her was both fierce and familiar. One of the best people in her life, one she would do so much for. It had never occurred to her that it might be reciprocated on an even higher level. Cam had got the measure of their relationship better than they had. It wouldn't be the first time that someone would want to kiss their best friend. She made up her mind.

'I've got to go.'


	3. Chapter 3

**6.30PM**

'Were you really checking me out the other day?'

Bernie swung around in shock. Serena looked playful. Her face flamed. She vowed to clip Cam over the head. Of course she had; having refused the offer of a drink with Serena and Ric, her eyes had flickered up and down the gaily retreating figure, that hip swing catching her eye. It had given her even more to fantasize about. She'd barely gotten the image of the glimpse of cleavage displayed at lunchtime when Serena had leaned over the table to talk to Ric. That was tantalising enough.

'Guilty as charged' she admitted sheepishly. She sat down on the hard chair, the only one that hadn't been broken by now. She felt utterly embarrassed that she felt the way she did. She gasped in shock as Serena swung her leg over and straddled her, pinning her to the chair. Her hands instinctively clasped around her waist to steady her. Bernie looked down at her lap and up at Serena, who half smiled at her confusion. She threaded her arms around Bernie's shoulders and leaned in head to head. Bernie's breath stuttered at having her so close. She could smell her perfume, musky and sweet. She waited, meeting a pair of assessing eyes. Serena was eerily calm about this revelation and Bernie wasn't sure how to feel about it.

'Don't blame Cam. He only did what he thought was right. He doesn't want you to be unhappy.'

'Am I unhappy?'

'Maybe you are. I don't know. I do know that I'm happy when you're around. What he said, made me redefine what you mean to me.'

'What do I mean to you?' Bernie's voice shook with longing and fear.

'All of those dinners and drinks out, evenings at my place, breakfast coffee, how we muddle along in theatre…what Cam said makes sense. There is something between us. There's always been something between us. It's taken me long enough to realise that. If you were a man, I would have recognised it sooner.'

Bernie shivered in anticipation.

'Sometimes you're the only good part of my day' she confessed. 'The only thing I have to look forward to when I've had a bad week.'

Serena knew what that meant. Sometimes the depression hovered over Bernie and it took a while for the black cloud to disperse. Knowing that she was something that alleviated it, made her hunger for her attention more. The smile she gave Bernie was enough to melt her insides. Bernie never thought Serena would look at her that way.

'Come back to mine. Pack a few things. I have a spare side of the bed, remember?'

'What about Jason?'

'He's not back until Thursday. Don't you dare stall me now, Berenice Wolfe. We've got a lot of catching up to do.'

Bernie could really fall for that glint in her eye. Serena was tempting her to a place she thought she'd never get to. She gave in and let go; lunging forward for a kiss, one hand swiftly moving to Serena's cheek. Serena gave as good as she got, they were panting by the time they finally unlocked lips.

'Skip dinner, let's go.'

'Even your glass of Shiraz?' Bernie was shocked.

'Even that' Serena assured her. Bernie was finally convinced of how serious she was. Serena wouldn't skip her wine for anything or anyone. Except Bernie Wolfe, it seemed.

And that was that.


End file.
